The Courageous Leader

Angela is the author of the new book “The Courageous Leader” derived from the work of Personify Leadership and based on The Spine of a Leader.

CONCEPTS FROM “THE COURAGEOUS LEADER”

THE BIG TEMPTATION When something goes wrong and we turn the other way or rationalize it won’t matter in six months, we are giving into the Big Temptation to just do nothing. When we give in to the temptation we can expect one of two outcomes with regard to pain. We avoid pain, create more pain for ourselves and others and then avoid pain again. Or we avoid pain, suppress our pain and avoid pain some more.

THE FEEDBACK TRIFECTA The skills needed to give feedback are underdeveloped, leaders responsible for delivering the feedback lack the courage to do it, and the typical workplace environment unknowingly and sometimes knowingly promotes avoiding honest and open communication.

PAIN THRESHOLDS Human beings all have varying sensitivity and responses to pain. What feels like walking over hot coals for one feels like a routine task to another. Our subjectivity to pain is why we respond differently to challenges but it does not have to define or limit our ability to be courageous.

THOSE PEOPLE COMPLEX Those People Complex is when you see something in others that you are unwilling or unable to see in yourself. As a result, you limit your own potential. Those people – those who have what you want – they are somehow different, special, unique or gifted in a way you are not, which therefore explains away your inability to accomplish what you want.

DELEGATION DOOM LOOP The Delegation Doom Loop looks something like this: I don’t delegate because the (potential) delegate is unskilled. Why is the delegate unskilled? Because I don’t delegate. I continue to not delegate to this person, and therefore, the team member remains unskilled. And round and round it goes.

THE HUMBLING EXPERIENCE Any time we are arrogant the humbling experience will find us. The humbling experience is the opportunity to practice humility and usually shows up in our lives in painful ways.

THE BIGGER PURPOSE SEEKER There are two paths available to us; the self-seeking path and the bigger purpose path. The Bigger Purpose Seeker is someone does not need to compare themselves to others and puts the needs of the bigger purpose they serve ahead of their own.

PAIN + MEANING = GROWTH Without meaning, our pain turns to despair but with meaning we can use pain as a tool for growth and transformation.

TOPS, MIDDLES, BOTTOMS Barry Oshry created a systems theory and model for organizations. It describes those at the top with overall responsibility, those at the bottom who do the work of the organization and those in the middle responsible for delivering top’s directions through bottoms.

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At the heart of every high-performing organization is a strong leader – someone who drives the vision, creates the company culture and knows how to call the shots in a time of crisis. Wouldn’t it be great if every company had multiple leaders like that?